Early October, fourth year of Meio, Ezo Land, northwest of Yotei Mountain, at the mouth of the Shiribetsu River.
The mountains and forests had just fallen quiet; this was Ezo in October. The distant mountains came from the southeast, draped in the gold and crimson of deep autumn. Maple leaves rustled, pine woods ran deep, Ezo deer cracked branches underfoot, and Moon Bears roared in long, leisurely voices. This was the divide between farming and fishing-hunting, and also the boundary between the Ainu and the Wajin. And when forest crows flew over the tribal hamlets in the mountains, over the treetops wreathed in morning mist, they met the Kombu drying grounds along the coast, and came upon the tiny dots of Ainu fishing boats.
"Sha... sha~"
"Hua... hua~"
"Wuu... wuu!..."
The wind blew across the coastal grasslands, and waves slapped and curled over the jagged shore reefs. The distant song of whales was like a desolate echo between heaven and earth, drifting from autumn to winter, from mountain to sea, then from the Ainu huts by the shore, until at last it floated to a moored, large Kan-style ship.
Prayer streamers fluttered on this Kan-style ship. Warrior Monks held blades and bows, standing guard at bow and stern. On the deck amidships, however, a large spread of Omi white cloth had been laid down, a delicate tea table set upon it, and two rush cushions placed beside it. On the cushions knelt two Wajin, sitting opposite each other as they drank tea.
One of them had a shaved head, wore Buddhist beads, and was draped in a bright-red monk's robe. The other wore his hair short, had a Golden Sun Amulet on him, and was clothed in a gray-white priestly robe. At this moment, the bald great monk was wagging